Backup Server not doing backups

[ezylstra]

I started a backup server script yesterday (for the first time) and it ran on half of the machines in the client list. In the Backup Server window, the rest gave status = source and when = ASAP. Each time it probes a machine it appears to say "source unavailable" in the detailed listing at the bottom of the Backup Server window. 24 hours later and that is still happening.

 

 

 

Any ideas of why this behavior and how to correct it?

[jroberts]

We have been having having a similar problem trying to run retrospect as a backup server. I believe I have narrowed our problem down somewhat.

 

 

 

Server: new G4 desktop, 512 meg memory, OSX 10.1.5 Retro 5.0.205 with the latest RDU, ASP Quantum DLT 4000 SCSI tape attached to Apple provided SCSI interface.

 

 

 

Clients: All the latest OS9, OSX, and Win

 

 

 

In today's instance:

 

 

 

1. backing up a client failed with a "unable to reserve client - not visible on network" error (-1028)

 

2. subsequent clients come up as "not responding" when polled.

 

3. When I quit the server and get into the Client Configuration list the clients are listed as "responding" in the client list, but when you try to do a "get info" on the client you get a "-1028 Client not responding" error.

 

4. I used the OSX Network utility to try to ping the clients and they respond fine. All other TCP communications (like telnet, web browser, etc. seem to work also).

 

5. I then tried to quit retrospect, the tape drive light flashed for a while then the server sat there with the spinning ball (I left it in that state for 20 min).

 

6. I switched to the process viewer and force the LaunchCFMApp associated with retrospect to quit.

 

7. Then I relaunched retrospect and went to the client config list. The clients were once again responsive to the "get info" command and to wiewing their configurations.

 

8. I restarted the backup server and it was off and running.

 

 

 

If I don't use a backup server script but a direct scheduled backup script instead, the clients that happen to be powered on and not sleeping back up fine, but the backup server arrangement is a far easier way to get all of our 70+ clients covered.

 

 

[ezylstra]

When I dug further by "forgetting" one of the clients and attempting to re-add it, I got the "client reserved" error message. It appears that the failure due to "source unavailable" can mean any number of possible errors.